The land and water cannot depend on the hollow promises of politicians and corporations. Over and over, regulations fail to protect the land and water that gives us life. Counting on the government to protect us is no safer than counting on the oil and gas companies to drill safely. That’s why we started Finger Lakes Earth First! To make space in the gas drilling debate for those of us that are ready to take action to defend our home.

No Compromise in Defense of Mother Earth

The very future of life on Earth is in danger. Human activities—from hunting to habitat destruction—have already driven countless species to extinction, and the process is only accelerating. The destruction of the Earth and its sustainable indigenous cultures has led to tragedy in every corner of the globe.

Meanwhile, scientists have confirmed what indigenous cultures have taught for thousands of years: all forms of life are vitally connected. Removing even a single strand from the web of life produces a widening ripple of catastrophe. On a more spiritual level, Earth First!ers under stand that we can never be the healthy humans that we were meant to be in a world without wilderness, clean air and the howling of wolves under the moon.

It is not enough to ask politicians and corporations to destroy less wilderness. We need to preserve it all, to recreate lost habitats and reintroduce extirpated predators. We need to stop and reverse the poisoning of our air, water and soil, as well as the modification of life’s genetic code. It is not enough to oppose the construction of new dams and developments. It is time to free our shackled rivers and restore the land.

Earth First! formed in 1979, in response to an increasingly corporate, compromising and ineffective environmental community. It is not an organization, but a movement. There are no “members” of EF!, only Earth First!ers. We believe in using all of the tools in the toolbox, from grassroots and legal organizing to civil disobedience and monkeywrenching. When the law won’t fix the problem, we put our bodies on the line to stop the destruction. Earth First!’s direct-action approach draws attention to the crises facing the natural world, and it saves lives.

Guided by a philosophy of deep ecology, Earth First! does not accept a human-centered worldview of “nature for people’s sake.” Instead, we believe that life exists for its own sake, that industrial civilization and its philosophy are anti-Earth, anti-woman and anti-liberty. Our structure is non-hierarchical, and we reject highly paid “professional staff” and formal leadership.

As a future small business owner hoping to locate in the Finger Lakes region, I am opposed to any type of drilling which directly affects the environment and natural areas in which we live .I have been researching the current issues for some time and have been in touch with several other organizations. As I work full time, it is difficult for me to attend events, but would appreciate any type of material you can pass on to me(emails, brochures, etc). Thank you for all the work you do and please keep me posted.